Born in boots with down home roots

Feedlots

Feeding beef cattle has slightly declined over the years. Although major of feedlots have fewer than thousand head, those operations market eighteen percent of cattle fed each year. Since cattle feeding is a high-risk business, the scale of economies favor larger operations. This then requires less land for cattle feeding operations than for a cow-calf operation. Successful operations come with the proper planning and preparation. It is also very essential to have a feeding management plan and proper health program for the facility. The facilities themselves should be well managed and taken care of, to keep clean and functioning. It is also important to have some type of shelter, a shed and wind blocks, but most importantly should be designed for the number of cattle being fed. Also it would be sufficient to make use of the manure or to at least have a runoff. When purchasing feeder cattle, the price tends to fluctuate every season of the year. Cattle in better shape usually assigned a higher grade and therefore sell for a higher price per pound. It is always good to stay up-to-date on market conditions when purchasing feeder. The greater the health usually comes with an increase in price, as where thinner cattle require higher medical treatment, lower resale value, and higher death-loss rates. Establishing a health program is very important when running a cattle operation. Purchasing preconditioned calves are a good investment for the cattle feeder. They should all be properly vaccinated, preferably before they are moved to the feedlot. It is also wise to control or reduce parasites, which can be treated with the correct health program established. Another important factor is nutrition. The ration of the fed should depend on the type of cattle and the desired market grade. Increasing forages in the diet of feedlot cattle will in return increase the cost of weight gain when grain prices are low. The fed should provide a balanced diet, and reach desired endpoints for the market.

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About backwoods blondie

I am currnetly a senior attending MSU, where I will graduate in May of 2014 with a business agricultural degree. Even though I am living in the city, my roots are in Nevada, Mo where I was born and rasied. Very close knit family, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoying showing pigs and riding horses. My life has always been based around agricultral and farming, so I know how important it is to stay informed of whats going on in the agricultural world. I work at a vet clinic and feedstore, which is what I plan to contuine after finshing school. I love being outside and working, just always doing something...fishing, hunting, riding 4-wheelers, rodeoing, and speing time with friends and family.

Keeping my agricultural roots is sometimes difficult being in the city, but nothing beats a country backroad! Riding horses has always been my passion and I'm glad it can still be, even away from home. Hopefully blogging will help me keep my down home roots and staying involved in the ag world.